FLIP WEAVER AND WILLIAMS
In his first five full seasons, Devin Williams was one of the top relievers in baseball. For the first 30 days in 2025, he’s been anything but. 10 games, 8 innings, 12 hits, 7 walks, 2.38 WHIP, 11.25 ERA.
Aaron Boone defended his closer after tonight’s stunning 4-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. Understandably, Boone doesn’t want to damage Williams’ confidence any further. However, after a good night’s sleep, we can only hope he does the right thing for Williams and the Yankees.
Let’s “temporarily” swap Williams with Luke Weaver to alleviate some of the pressure that Williams must be feeling. Weaver is off to a great start and excelled in closer role down the stretch of last season. As a bonus, once Williams regains his form, Weaver has the personality to step aside and return to his set-up role.
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LET’S DUST OFF BEN RICE’S GLOVES
Next to all-world Aaron Judge and rejuvenated Paul Goldschmidt, Ben Rice has been the Yankees most consistent hitter. Rice has gotten most of his at-bats in the DH. However, if all goes according to plan, Giancarlo Stanton will soon return to the heart of the Yankees lineup. The Yankees need Stanton, but not at the expense of Rice. Boone needs to start integrating Rice into the field to ensure there’s a path to keep him in the lineup at least 4-5 days per week.
- First, as good as Paul Goldschmidt has looked, he’s 37 and could benefit from “NBA-styled load management”. Rice has already proven he can play 1B at the MLB level.
- Second, as great of a story as JC Escarra is, the Yankees must relegate him to 3rd string (or Triple A) and let Rice catch when Austin Wells needs a day off. Rice has shown promise as a receiver in the minors.
- Third, tell Rice to take some grounders at 3B, and fly balls in RF/LF. No guarantees he can do it, but it’s worth seeing if he can become the next Ben Zobrist.
The Yankees’ lineup needs a boost, not a swap. Let’s dust off Rice’s gloves to ensure he can continue to contribute once Stanton returns.
PUT VOLPE IN THE 9 HOLE
The Anthony Volpe hype machine had us prepared for a good hitting, iffy defending shortstop. Surprisingly, it’s been the opposite. Volpe won a gold glove his rookie year, and during his recent slump, which dropped his average below the Mendoza line, he still made the game highlights with multiple web gems.
On the flip side, despite showing good power with his torpedo bat, he has struck out 31 times in the first 30 days of the season. What’s concerning is he’s not struggling against the breaking ball like most young players (see Jasson Dominguez when he bats righty). Instead, he is struggling with fastballs as teams are pounding him with high, hard stuff.
Let’s move Volpe into the 9th hole to alleviate some pressure and reset his game plan from primarily being focused on driving in runs, to getting on base for the top of the lineup. IF he ever reaches his hitting potential, lead-off would be a great spot for him due to his batting-eye and speed. If he can excel at the bottom of the lineup, the transition to lead-off would be easier.
TOUCH BASE WITH DAVID ROBERTSON
30 days into the domestic MLB season, 40-year-old David Robertson is still a free agent. As we said back on April 9th, we know that the Yankees are attempting to keep their budget under the Cohen Tax, and they have high hopes for the return of Jonathan Loaisiga, but they need at least give his agent a call. Reports had him looking for $10m, but as time goes on, that number goes down with prorating. In addition to still being an effective, his status as a former Yankee World Champion, and the man who replaced Mariano Rivera can help provide leadership in the bullpen.
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